"That was not funny, Takkar." I grumbled as Roshani walked hand in hand with me. "Don't think you're not in trouble, Karoosh either." I added, turning my head in time to catch the warrior's eye and he gave me a grin not the least bit intimidated.

"Valery, I'm sure they did not mean to walk in on us." Roshani assured me and I rolled my eyes, remembering the moment we had been interrupted. "Besides I can always make it up to you later." He whispered into my ear and I shivered, slightly impressed when he licked my ear with his tongue.

"I'll hold you to that promise. husband." I replied once my voice returned and he chuckled, giving my hand a squeeze as we walked side by side. "Now what exactly did you two want?"

"We were out hunting a cave bear that has been wandering close to the village." Takkar replied and I nodded, clutching my bow tightly in one hand. "You and Roshani will return to the village and we will hunt it." He added giving me a faint smile when I frowned.

"Valery, let them go." Roshani agreed when I tried to follow the two warriors and I remember spending a fair amount of the walk home with my head lowered and my eyes narrowed sulking a little I'm not ashamed to admit. I finally looked up, startled when Roshani stopped walking and as I raised my head he gave me a faint smile. "We should go for a walk together. Maybe hunt something less dangerous than a cave bear?" He suggested and my lips curled into a smile.

"That sounds perfect. Let's go, husband." I replied and he nodded, breaking into a smile before we started to walk in the opposite direction to Takkar and Karoosh. We soon came across paw prints and I drew my bow, heading past the tracks and with a sigh Roshani followed.

It took an hour for us to find the animal that left the tracks and as Roshani knelt beside the body of the goat I sighed, watching as he examined its torn-open throat. "Something big killed this goat." Roshani pointed out as he wiped his hands on the dirt, straightening as I stared off into the distance. "We should go back to the village and...Valery?" He called out, watching on with wide eyes as I started to head down the nearest hill not even looking back when he rushed after me.

"The tracks lead this way, Roshani." I called out not slowing once he caught up with me and Roshani just shrugged, running beside me. We didn't get far when I found a set of bloody paw prints and I stopped, kneeling beside them which caused Roshani to stumble past me. He ended up tripping over a tree root and I looked up to see him land on his backside with a grunt, a hand clamped to my hand to stop my laughter.

"Very funny, Valery." Roshani grumbled, stumbling to his feet with one hand pressed to his aching backside. "If you had not run away like that I would not have..." He froze his eyes travelling past me just as a roar split the air and I whirled around as something leapt out of the bushes directly behind me.

I spun around coming face to muzzle with the largest bear I had ever seen, growling as I stared back at it. When I started to slowly reach for my bow it reared up on its hind legs the roar it unleashed causing me to stumble back, letting out a cry. The bow slipped from my shoulder though I barely noticed when it landed near my feet too busy staring at the bear as it landed on all fours. Sniffing the air it lumbed towards me and I found I couldn't move even as it sniffed at my face.

"Valery, get back!" Roshani called out and the bear turned its attention to my husband who waved his hands. Using the distraction I quickly snatched up my bow rolling away when the bear's growled at me swiping at me with its claws.

"Hey over here!" Roshani yelled as I stumbled to my feet and the bear roared running towards me just as I reached Roshani. Roshani knocked me to one side as the bear raised its claws dragging them across his chest and Roshani cried out, falling backwards as the bear leap over him landing in the bushes with a loud crash. I dragged myself to my feet breathing hard before I hurried to Roshani's aid, pulling him to his feet.

"Come on! Before it comes after us!" I shouted at him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to steady him before I started to move directly away from the bear who hadn't showed its face yet.

"V...Valery, slow down." Roshani wheezed and I glanced at him noting that he had a hand clamped to his chest. To my shock I could see that the bear had managed to tear his shirt open with its claws revealing pale skin and several claw marks, blood welling from the marks.

"If you hadn't shoved me..." I trailed off when he gave me a weak smile, leaning on me and with a sigh I started to lead us back to the Wenja village keeping my eyes on the path ahead. The sun was setting by the time the village was in sight and Roshani winced as I quickened my pace forgetting how badly Roshani was injured until I stumbled on a rock, my hand quickly pressing to his chest leaving him gasping from the pain radiating from his bloody wound.

"I'm sorry, Roshani. I'll take you to Tensay and you'll be fine." I whispered to him, hoping he couldn't see my tears as I led him towards Tensay's hut. "I know you don't like him very much but he's a great shaman."

"Not liking him...is not even close, Valery." Roshani groaned, trying his best to bring a smile to my face when he heard my barely controlled sniffing. Despite his efforts I was softly weeping to myself once we reached the shaman's hut and as Roshani leaned against me, breathing hard I pushed back the animal skins allowing us entry. We stumbled inside and when I glanced at Roshani my eyes widened, finally noticing how pale his skin looked.

"Roshani?" I whispered and he lifted his head giving me a weak smile as he tried to stand on his own. Only to stumble and I barely caught him in my arms gently lowering to the ground in front of Tensay who had been mixing something in a bowl when we intruded.

He opened his mouth, his eyes narrowed at my Izila husband, until he saw the blood dripping steadily down Roshani's chest and the pallor of his skin. Leaving the bowl he stepped over to us kneeling at Roshani's side as my husband groaned his eyes closed.

"Let me see him, Valery." Tensay and I sighed, wiping at my eyes as I shifted back enough to let the shaman of the village examine him. Roshani cracked open his eyes in time to see Tensay leaning over him and he winced, growling something when Tensay touched his bloody wound with his fingers.

"A bear attacked us and if Roshani hadn't psuhed me over..." I trailed off when Tensay moved back to the bowl, dropping several herbs into the bowl and as he ground them up I reached for Roshani's left hand.

"I'm so sorry you got hurt, Roshani." I whispered and he grimaced, giving my hand a squeeze as he stared up at me. "I should have been more careful."

"Not...your fault, Valery. I wanted to...protect you." He coughed, shivering from the pain and I lightly laughed when he reached up gently wiping my eyes. "Maybe I...will have a scar."

"I already married you, Roshani. You can't get anymore appealing to me." I told him and he pressed his lips together looking confused until I laughed softly. "You can't get more handsome to me, Roshani." I added and he fixed me with a tiny smile until Tensay returned the shaman now holding the bowl the herbs mixed with water now and some thin thread between his fingers. Immediately I understood and I glanced at Roshani who swallowed, knowing exactly what was coming when he saw the needle-thin branch.

"These will kill the pain." Tensay offered, pushing the bowl towards me. I helped Roshani sit and as his shoulders trembled I gently lifted the bowl towards his lips. Roshani swallowed what Tensay had mixed into the water lying as I set the bowl down beside him. As I watched he yawned and in a few moments his eyes started to close as Tensay fiddled with the branch giving me a reassuring smile when I looked back at him.

"He will feel no pain. I will call you when I am finished." Tensay told me, gently leading me from his hut after I finally raised myself from the dirt. Once I was outside I heard footsteps and I looked up my eyes narrowing as Takkar arrived with Karroosh beisde him, both men blinking after I pushed past them heading in the direction of my hut with my shoulders slumped.

"What is wrong with Valery?" Takkar asked and Karroosh just smirked at my retreating back apparently not interested. "I will take the cave bear carcass to Sayla." He sighed, shifting the carcass they'd carried back over his shoulders before he headed towards the gatherer's hut.

"Fight with Roshani." Karroosh commented, laughing softly to himself as he headed back to his own hut.

Pushing back the animal skins I entered my hut tears leaking down my face at how close my husband had come to being killed. Walking slowly over to the fur that had become my bed I lowered myself onto it, lying on my side as I wept.

I must have fallen asleep waking to someone's footsteps outside my hut. Wincing as I sat I yawned, rubbing at my eyes. "W...who's there?" I called out, clearing my throat when my voice broke. I pushed myself to stand as Sayla entered, clearing the dirt from her legs as I stood in front of my bed. "Sayla?"

"Roshani is awake." She told me, watching with a straight face as I brightened and once I rushed past her she smiled to herself.